Breathtaking Oil Paintings Using Only a Palette Knife

 

Leonid Afremov (born 12 July 1955 in Vitebsk, Belarus) is a Russian–Israeli modern impressionistic artist who creates wonderful oil paintings on canvas using only a palette knife. Over the years he has become well known for his distinctive style. Afremov is also noted for his self-representation, selling his work exclusively over the internet with very little exhibitions and involvement of dealers and galleries. You can find countless originals and reproductions available on his official website afremov.com

Leonid is also fairly prolific on deviantART where his nearly 4,000 pieces of his own artwork have been viewed over a million times.

In his own words, Leonid says (please note English is not his first language):

I’m a professional artist. i paint with palette knife with oil on canvas. Art is my life and I paint every single day. it makes me happy to see people enjoying my art. God gave me a gift of being able to paint good and I thank him for that everyday buy painting and having my art affordable to buy. I was born in city of Vitebsk in 1955. Amazingly enough I was born in the same town as Marc Chagall, the famous artist who also founded the Vitebsk Art School along with Malevich & Kandinsky. I graduated from Vitebsk Art School in 1978 and is one of the elite members.
 
I tried different techniques during my career, but I especially fell in love with painting with oil and pallette-knife. Every artwork is the result of long painting process; every canvas is born during the creative search; every painting is full of my inner world. Each of my paintings brings different moods, colors and emotions. I love to express the beauty, harmony and spirit of this world in my paintings. My heart is completely open to art. Thus, I enjoy creating inspired and beautiful paintings from the bottom of my soul. Each of my artworks reflects my feelings, sensitivity, passion, and the music from my soul. True art is alive and inspired by humanity. I believe that art helps us to be free from aggression and depression. [Source]